Rationale:
One vital component of reading and reading comprehension is reading with
fluency. To read with fluency means to read with automatic word recognition.
When readers can recognize words effortlessly and automatically, they can work
full time at getting the message of the text, resulting in drastic improvements
in reading comprehension. This lesson was designed to help readers become more
fluent by through repeated readings and timed readings.
With this lesson, students will be able
to read texts smoothly, quickly and with expression, thus improving fluency.

Materials:

- Sentence strip that reads: "I like to play at the beach."

- Cover-up Critter (Popsicle stick with 2 googly eyes)

- Frog and Toad Together
by Arnold Lobel (enough for each student)

- Timer/stopwatch (for each pair)

- Pencils and paper

- Fluency checklist (one for each student)

- Reading record time sheet

Time Record Sheet:

Name: ______________________

Date:________________________

1st Reading: ____________________

2ndReading: ____________________

3rd Reading: ____________________

Procedure:

1. Begin the lesson by saying "Okay class, today we will be learning about how
to become fluent readers. Does anyone know what the word
fluent means? (Wait for response).
When we are fluent readers, we are able to recognize words automatically, which
means we don't have to stop our reading to analyze each word. To be a fluent
reader means we begin to read quickly, smoothly and with expression. When we
have fluency while we read, we are better able to comprehend what we read,
making our reading more pleasant. Also, when we read out loud to others and our
reading is fluent, our stories are more enjoyable for others."

2. Next, the teacher will display the sentence strip on the board which reads:
"I like to play at the beach." Say: "Class I want you to listen to how I read
the sentence on the board. (Read by separating each sound in each word) I-Il-l- I-I-k-kt-t-o-op-p-pl-ay-aya-a-t-tth-th- e-eb-b-ea-ea-ch-ch.
That was very hard to understand. Let me try to read it again (This time read a
bot faster and bot more fluently). Even though that was better, I still did not
get the full message. Let me try to read it one more time (This time read
quickly, smoothly and with much fluency). OH! I like to go to the beach! Now it
makes sense! See how I had to re-read a few times so that I could really
understand the message?" Ask: "Which reading was easiest for you to understand
and easiest to follow?" (Wait for response). "Which one was hardest to follow?"
(Wait for response). "The first time I read the sentence, I read it without
fluency, so it was very hard to understand, and it was hard to comprehend what I
was reading. However, after I re-read the sentence a few times, I was able to
read with fluency and with much expression. This made it easier to understand
and easier to comprehend that I like going to the beach to play. This is why
becoming fluent readers is so important. I want each one of you to become fluent
readers, and today we are going to work on that. So, let's get started!"

3. Next, say: "When you come across a word you do not know, you can use your
handy dandy cover-up critter to figure out the word. I will show you an
example." Write the word block on the
board. "I am going to pretend that I do not know how to say this word, and I
will use my cover-up critter to help me. First, I will start with the vowel and
cover up all of the other letters in the word. The vowel in this word is
o, and I Know that
o = /o/. Then I will uncover the
letters before the vowel. So in this word, I have
b and
l which say /b/ /l/. Then I will
include the vowel with my first two letters and I will get /b/ /l/ /o/. Now I
will uncover the remaining letters, c
and k, and I know when these two
letters are together, they make a /k/ sound. When I put all of my sounds
together I get the word block. See
how easy and kind of fun that was? If the cover-up critter does not work, I can
also ask my neighbors to help me figure out the word."

4. Engage the students in a book talk about
Frog and Toad Together. "One morning,
Toad wakes up and decides to make a list of things that he is going to do that
day. He includes things like: wake up,
eat breakfast, go to Frog's house, and take a walk with Frog. While he and
Frog are walking, a huge gust of wind takes Toad's list right from his hands,
and it begins to blow away in the wind. Oh no! What will Toad do without his
list? What do you think will happen next? We will just have to read to find
out."

5. Next, the teacher will explain to the class that they will be participating
in a repeated reading with their assigned partner. "We participate in repeated
readings because they help us become more fluent readers. The more we read, the
better we become at reading. I am going to read the first chapter aloud to you,
and I want you to follow along in your book. I am going to read with as much
fluency as I can, so I want you to pay careful attention as I read." Read first
chapter aloud with much expression and with much smoothness.

6. Now the teacher will divide the students into reading partners (preferably
one struggling reader paired with a successful reader). The teacher should
assign each pair a different spot in the classroom so as to eliminate any
distractions. Each group will receive a copy of
Frog and Toad Together, a timer, a
fluency checklist, a pencil, and a reading time sheet.

7. Once students have been assigned a partner and are in their designated spot
in the room, the teacher will give instructions. "In this activity, one of you
will be the reader, and your partner will be the recorder. The student whose
birthday is coming up first will be the first reader. As the reader, you will
begin reading when your partner tells you to. You will read the entire first
chapter and your partner will time you. This is not a race! This activity is to
help us improve our fluency, not our reading speed, so be sure to take your
time. After you have read, you will become the recorder and your partner will be
the reader; we are going to take turns. When it is your turn to be the recorder,
you will tell your partner when to begin reading. That will be your cue to start
the timer. Time your partner until he or she has finished the whole first
chapter; when they are done, be sure you stop the timer. Write his or her time
on the time sheet. Then you will fill out the fluency checklist based on how
your partner read that selection. Once you have filled out both sheets, you will
take switch tasks again. You will do this three times each, so you will each
read the chapter 3 times, and you will each have a turn to be the recorder three
times."

8. Before beginning, have a student volunteer come up to the front of the class
to model with you so that each and every student understands what to do for this
activity.

9. While the students are working and reading, you should walk around the
classroom to monitor the progress of each pair. Offer assistance when needed.

10. Assessment: The students will assess one another by completing the fluency
checklist and the time record sheet. The teacher will assess each student's
fluency using the following formula to determine students' words per minute:

Words x 60

Seconds

The teacher will also assign each student to write a complete paragraph based on
what he or she read in this first chapter. This will help the teacher determine
the student's comprehension of the selection.